Dog

Dog, dog, n. a domestic quadruped of the same genus as the wolf, and akin to the fox, varying in size from small terriers to huge Newfoundlands, mastiffs, and St Bernards: a mean scoundrel: a term of contempt: a fellow (as a jolly dog): one of two constellations of stars: an andiron: an iron hook for holding logs of wood: a dogfish: a cock, as of a gun.—adj. male (opposed to bitch), as in dog-fox, dog-ape.—v.t. to follow as a dog: to follow and watch constantly: to worry with importunity:—pr.p. dog′ging; pa.p. dogged.—ns. Dog′-bane, a plant with an intensely bitter root, valued for its medicinal properties, said to be poisonous to dogs; Dog′-bee, a drone; Dog′-belt, a broad leather belt round the waist for drawing dans or sledges in the low workings of coal-mines; Dog′-bis′cuit, biscuit made for dogs, sometimes containing scraps of meat; Dog′-bolt (obs.), a contemptible fellow; Dog′-box, the part of a railway wagon in which dogs are carried; Dog′-brī′er, the brier dogrose; Dog′cart, a two-wheeled carriage with seats back to back, so called from sporting-dogs being originally carried inside the box.—adj. Dog′-cheap, very cheap.—n. Dog′-coll′ar, a collar for dogs: a kind of stiff collar on a woman's dress: a close-fitting clerical collar.—adj. Dog′-faced.—ns. Dog′-fan′cier, one who has a fancy for, or who deals in dogs; Dog′fish, a popular name for various small species of shark, common on British and American coasts; Dog′-fox, a male fox; Dog′ger.—adj. Dog′gish, like a dog: churlish: brutal.—adv. Dog′gishly.—n. Dog′gishness.—p.adj. Dog′goned (vulg.), confounded.—n. Dog′-grass, a coarse perennial grass common in uncultivated grounds, akin to couch-grass, dog-wheat, &c.—adjs. Dog′-head′ed; Dog′-heart′ed.—ns. Dog′-hole, a hole fit only for dogs: a mean dwelling; Dog′-house, -kenn′el; Dog′-leech, one who treats the diseases of dogs; Dog-lett′er, the letter or sound r—also Canine letter; Dog′-louse; Dog′-pars′ley, fool's parsley; Dog′rose, a wild-rose, a brier; Dog's′-ear, the corner of the leaf of a book turned down like a dog's ear.—v.t. to turn down the corners of leaves.—p.adjs. Dog's′-eared, Dog′-eared.—ns. Dog's′-fenn′el, May-weed; Dog′ship, the quality or personality of a dog.—adj. Dog′-sick.—n. Dog′skin, leather made from the skin of a dog, or from sheepskin in imitation of it.—adj. made of such.—ns. Dog′-sleep, a light sleep broken by the slightest noise; Dog's′-meat, coarse meat, scraps and refuse sold as food for dogs; Dog's′-mer′cury, the mercurialis perennis; Dog's′-nose, a kind of mixed drink; Dog's′-tail-grass, a common British pasture grass.—n.pl. Dog′-stones, a name for various British species of orchis.—ns. Dog's′-tongue, the hound's-tongue plant, Cynoglossum officinale; Dog′-tick.—adjs. Dog′-tired, Dog′-wea′ry (Shak.), tired as a dog, completely worn out.—ns. Dog′-trick, an ill-natured trick; Dog′-trot, a gentle trot like that of a dog; Dog′-vane, a small vane of thread, cork, and feathers placed on the weather gunwale to show the direction of the wind; Dog′-vī′olet, the common name of Viola canina and other scentless species of wild violet; Dog′-wheat, a name of Dog-grass; Dog′-whelk, the popular name for univalve molluscs of the genus Nassa; Dog′wood, a tree or shrub of the cornel genus, valuable on account of the hardness of the wood.—interj. Dog on it! a minced oath (for God damn it!).—Go to the dogs, to be ruined; Not to lead the life of a dog, to lead a life so wretched that even a dog would not be content with it; Throw, Give, or Send to the dogs, to throw away or abandon. [M. E. doggë; not in A.S.; Dut. dog, a mastiff; Ger. dogge, docke.]